Rotary laser level not even close to level

Did you get a reputable brand or one of those Chinese jobbers?-Jitney

Greetings,

a) ignore the level lines b) level the tripod c) draw new level lines with a black marker

Hope this helps, William

Must be. Water levels are very easy to use and very accurate. Can you describe what you do and what you use?

I have "one of those Chinese jobbers" and it's very accurate -- IF you calibrate it. The instructions included steps on how to calibrate the device. It's a pain, but once done, the level is accurate to about a quarter inch over 30 feet, which is what the specs for the device say... I can't get a water level even close to that level of accurace but it could be my technique...

It doesn't really mater if the tripod is level as long as the laser head is level. But starting with a level tripod makes things a lot easier...

-Tim

RTFM, you obviously haven't followed the instructions

Harry K

Water levels while easy to understand in principal, suffer from thermal expansion effects if the water throughout ther length isn't kept at the same temperature. Liquids expand a lot more than most solids do.

Water at around 75 F changes density about -150*10^-6 per degree F with increasing temperature.

If you are using a simple water level made of clear tubing with the ends raised about 6 feet above the lowest point of that tubing, and sunlight heats one leg 10 F warmer than the other, there will be about an eight of an inch of error. The water level in the warmer leg will be higher than that in the other one.

Not much to worry about in most applications, but worth keeping in mind if SWMBO absalutely positively wants those pictures of your grandkids hung at exactly the same height.

Jeff

My newsreader evidently dropped this message, so I'll reply here.

I have a Zircon electric water level. It works just fine, but I'd never rely on it to more than about 3/8" precision. Not sure if the tubing is too narrow or what, but sometimes I can get the level, mark it, then shake the tube, relevel, and I'll get a new mark, about 1/4" from the other one. Close enough for most work, but still bugs me.

-Tim